Measuring autistic traits in the general population has proven sensitive for examining cognition. The present study extended this to pro-social behaviour, investigating the influence of expectations to help others. A novel task describing characters in need of help was administered to students scoring high versus low on the Autism-Spectrum Quotient. Scenarios had two variants, describing either a ‘clear-cut’ or ‘ambiguous’ social rule. Participants with high versus low autistic traits were less pro-social and sympathetic overall towards the characters. The groups’ ratings of characters’ expectations were comparable, but those with high autistic traits provided more rule-based rationales in the clear-cut condition. This pattern of relatively intact knowledge in the context of reduced pro-social behaviour has implications for social skill training programmes.

Units to admit psychiatrically ill mothers with their babies to psychiatric hospitals were pioneered follow ing Main's description (1958) of the treatment of mothers with their children at the Cassel Hospital. Particular interest in puerperal psychosis and dis orders of bonding and attachment led to units usually providing for babies below six or 12months. Suggesting older infants should also be admitted, Main referred to the benefits in admitting parents to paediatric wards with ill children, and described how toddlers had been admitted with their mothers at the Cassel. Another early unit at Banstead Hospital cared for schizophrenic mothers with their babies and found that joint admissions lead to faster recovery, lower relapse rates and more babies continuing to live with their mothers (Baker et al, 1961).

We have written this paper trom the perspective of a trainer and a trainee who have each participated in the psychological treatments course run for senior registrars training in child psychiatry on the North West Thames Rotation. The course aims to provide senior registrars with an integrated training in the three major psycho logical therapies: systemic family therapy, cognitivebehavioural and psychodynamic therapy. It was hoped that, by the end of the course, trainees would have a good theoretical and clinical grounding in each model at a medium level of expertise. The courseThe course is divided into modules of one year for each treatment modality. Each module is organised by a consultant child psychiatrist with considerable clinical experience and advanced training in that particular modality. One of the trainers also acts as the co-ordlnator for the whole course. The three course leaders meet once a term to review progress and to integrate ideas.The course is open to child and adolescent psychiatry senior registrars in the region (the rotation grew during this period from six to ten trainees) and to other professionals with a simi lar level of training. Initially a whole morning was allocated to it, but from the second year this has been reduced to two and a half hours because of pressure on the senior registrars' time.The course starts with the systemic family therapy module run by a consultant child psy chiatrist (Dr Peter Reder) and a principal clinical child psychologist (Ms Sylvia Duncan). The first term includes learning about systemic ideas, such as the family life cycle and use of the genogram, and basic techniques such as circular questioning and co-therapy; the second term in applying these to clinical situations and therapy sessions; the third term allows for more clinical practice as well as consideration of consultations to other professionals and to multi-agency networks.The cognitive-behavioural module follows. It is run by a consultant child psychiatrist (Dr Veira Bailey) with Invited speakers throughout the year. The first term is for learning behavioural therapy and introducing the cognitive model. The second term is spent in developing techniques (such as the use of thought diaries and schema elucidation) and their clinical applications. The third term covers research into efficacy and the use of cognitive therapy in particular situations such as following traumatic events.The third year is for psychodynamic therapy, and is run by one of the authors (AE). The first term is spent on observational studies of a baby or young child, (McFadyen, 1991). The second term focuses on communication with children and the third on assessment, with outside speak ers. The third term finishes with an integration of the three therapy models, organised as a series of dialogues. A trainee's experiencesPrior to the course I (DC) had worked in settings which offered 'hands-on' training in behaviour modification and family therapy, and I had seen patients for supervised dynamic psychotherapy. I welcomed the op...

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